It is one of those plays that has been on the go forever. Even people who have little interest in theatre will have seen the poster at one point or another: a dishevelled man holding a pipe in one hand, and a lantern in the other, staring up at the night sky.
Aidan Dooley’s Tom Crean - Antarctic Explorer premiered in 2003, before touring extensively, both nationally and abroad. It amassed some stellar reviews, as well as widespread popularity, becoming a show destined to run and run. And even after more than two decades, Dooley shows no sign of slowing down.
Crean being, of course, the legendary Irish explorer and one of our country’s unsung heroes: a modest seaman from Kerry, who travelled to the Antarctic three times, serving under both Captain Robert Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton. The play predominantly focuses on the second and third expeditions: Terra Nova (1910-1913 ) and the infamous Endurance (1914-1916 ).
What the play succeeds in doing, above all else, is presenting the unfathomable level of hardship Crean endured, which certainly made this particular millennial feel a bit silly regarding some of the ‘twenty-first century problems’ I tend to complain about. The sheer enormity of the physical challenges Crean overcame is extraordinary, whether it was traversing hundreds of miles in -30?C temperatures, hauling a large sled, or surviving 17 days in a lifeboat on the South Atlantic Ocean with little food or water.
The first act was remarkable, and left me, quite literally, shivering in my seat. The second act, however - and at the risk of sounding like a broken record in relation to intervals - was a disappointment.
For whatever reason, Dooley could not seem to find his stride after returning from the break, leaving it feeling like a race to the finish. A few regular interruptions did not help matters, with one reoccurring clicking noise causing particular frustration for the actor, as well as the audience.
Nevertheless, Tom Crean - Antarctic Explorer has become sort of iconic, and for good reason. Not only does it have theatrical value, but cultural and educational also.
For the most part, it is a commanding display from Dooley; each nuance and idiosyncrasy honed over what has likely been hundreds of performances.
For future tour dates, visit www.tomcreanshow.com
